Would you rather be this close?
Or THIS close?*
Sometimes, you have to bend the rules a little in order to experience what few others ever will. This is one of those times. Kilauea, an active volcano on Hawaii and one of the most active volcanoes in the world, is largely off limits to the public. Would you rather see it from a safe distance, or be close enough to feel the heat from the lava on your skin?
Kilauea is a guarded park that allows travelers to venture only to certain areas that have been determined to be "safe," e.g. lava-free. But you didn't go to Hawaii and visit Kilauea just to see already-hardened, fully-formed lava rock did you? Didn't think so.
So here's the deal: if you can handle it, wake up (or stay up) at (until) 3AM, then begin your trek to mount doom. One thing I would seriously recommend, one thing we did not do, is bring a flashlight or two. We used our cell phones to light our way through the night, an attempt (however successful) which was reckless and kinda stupid.
Regardless, once you are on Hwy 56, head towards the shore and towards Kilauea. As you get closer, you will see signs in your headlights warning you that the park is closed, it is very dangerous, you will be arrested, etc. They are all true and if you are scared away by these claims, turn around. Otherwise, drive past the signs and roadblocks and you can park all the way up here:
At this point, walking is your only option. If you are here on a weekday, you'll probably get the area to yourself; if you choose a saturday or sunday morning, chances are you'll run into company. Regardless, at this point your life will look like this:
The walking is treacherous and slow going. Also, it is pretty easy to get lost, but the rule of thumb is keep heading towards the pillar of smoke off in the distance, for that is formed from the lava flowing through the mountain and out into the sea.
Once you reach the shoreline, now is your chance to really take in the battle between Pele, Hawaiian goddess of fire, and her rival, the sea. The next few shots are from our perch directly in front of the "bench," or the area of land that is still being formed by Pele.** I'd recommend staying on your feet, because the lava produces "Pele's hair" or stands of fiberglass-like material formed when little chunks of lava are flung into the air and stretched into "hairs" by the cool air as it hardens. Sitting on it is a little like sitting in a nice bed of insulation - comfortable at the time, itchy as hell later.
Stay for a couple hours and watch the battle, bask in your awesomeness for having done something that very few people can claim to have done...But, do make sure you get out by about 7AM or your risk of getting arrested increases significantly. . .
*Note that, for the record, I do not recommend breaking any rules or laws, nor do I recommend getting hurt or killed by actively flowing lava. It is extremely dangerous and unpredictable. If you plan on getting burned to death or otherwise maimed or destroyed, please do not travel outside of the legal boundaries of the park.
**Do NOT under any circumstances EVER climb down onto the bench unless you are ready to become a charred, unrecognizable mass of burnt flesh.
